Meet ArkDes’ Guest Researchers 2026

Images of Welfare-State Landscapes: Residential Landscapes and Design in the Late Twentieth Century

Amalia Engström

The project examines the emergence, design, and use of residential landscapes developed during the expansion of the Swedish welfare state over the twentieth century. Using photographs and archival material from ArkDes Collections, the research explores courtyards, parks, and green spaces, as well as the ideals of health, recreation, and social community that shaped these environments.

The research also aims to highlight welfare-state landscapes as important cultural environments. By tracing narratives of change and continuity within these settings, the project contributes to a deeper understanding of contemporary questions concerning urban development, densification, and the stewardship of modern cultural heritage.

Motivation for selection, as stated by the ArkDes assessment group:

By examining how landscapes were designed and used, the research contributes to a deeper understanding of the social and spatial ideals that have shaped Swedish urban development.

Today, many of these environments are being transformed through urban densification and redevelopment, making the project particularly relevant. The research highlights the values and qualities embedded in welfare-state landscapes and provides a historical perspective on issues that are highly relevant today.

Past Trends/Trendy Past: Historical Perspectives and Swedish Restoration Architecture Since 1990

Helena Heymowska

The project examines how Swedish architects’ attitudes towards historic architecture have changed since 1990, and how these shifts have influenced the restoration, renovation, and transformation of older buildings and environments. Studying ArkDes Collections, the research examines photographs, illustrations, drawings, and other project documentation to explore how historic architecture has been represented, interpreted, and integrated into contemporary architectural practice. 

By analysing restoration and transformation projects in relation to contemporary aesthetic ideals, technical methods, and approaches to cultural heritage, the project seeks to develop a broader understanding of restoration architecture as an expression of its time. 

Motivation for selection, as stated by the ArkDes assessment group:

The project highlights the role of restoration architecture in contemporary approaches to reuse, stewardship, and the transformation of late twentieth-century built environments. The research offers new perspectives on the care and maintenance of existing buildings as an important part of architectural practice. In doing so, the project contributes to ongoing discussions about sustainable urban development and cultural heritage.